BRITISH fishermen have warned they were “suspicious” of the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal with the small print of the proposed agreement suggesting they may be forced into regulations similar to that of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.

British fishermen have warned they could be betrayed by the Prime Minister's Brexit draft agreement with the European Union. Fishing chiefs have raised concerns with the text within the ‘political declaration on the future relationship’ and warned they could be forced into a deal similar to that of the Common Fisheries Policy. Fishermen in the UK already feel they have been deeply let down by the Government after the announcement of the implementation period effectively kept the industry under the control of the EU’s controversial Common Fisheries Policy until 2020. But, the text in the 'political declaration on the future relationship' suggests that while Britain will be an “independent coastal state”, future cooperation on the development of measures “for the conservation, rational management and regulation of fisheries” will be done in a “non-discriminatory manner”.

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Fishing for Leave told Express.co.uk they were, while still studying the “exact meaning of the opaque language” in the Brexit text, worried it looked “deeply suspicious”.

A Fishing for Leave spokesman said: “A lot of the wording used is disconcertingly similar to the regulations and treaties founding the CFP, in particular, the non-discrimination principle, which in effect means equal access to a common resource.

“We may officially ‘leave’ but, in effect, this new deal and new legal agreement may be different wording, but will create the same effect as a Common Fisheries Policy.

“It may not be called that, but, if it walks like a Common Fisheries Policy, and quacks like a Common Fisheries Policy, it is a Common Fisheries Policy.”

A lot of the wording used is disconcertingly similar to the regulations and treaties founding the CFP

Fishing for Leave spokesman

The political declaration on the future relationship sets out the “framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as agreed at negotiators' level on 14 November 2018”.

Focusing on “fishing opportunities”, the document reads: “Cooperation bilaterally and internationally to ensure fishing at sustainable levels, promote resource conservation, and foster a clean, healthy and productive marine environment, noting that the United Kingdom will be an independent coastal state.

“While preserving regulatory autonomy, cooperation on the development of measures for the conservation, rational management and regulation of fisheries, in a non-discriminatory manner. Close working with other coastal states and in international fora, including to manage shared stocks.”

It adds: “Within the context of the overall economic partnership, establishment of a new fisheries agreement on, inter alia, access to waters and quota shares, to be in place in time to be used for determining fishing opportunities for the first year after the transition period.”

Brexit news: British fishermen were very suspicious with the agreed Brexit text (Image: GETTY)

Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation urged the Government for clarity on the proposed new fisheries agreement.

Mr Armstrong said: “The industry’s priority has always been taking back control of decision-making over who catches what, where and when in our waters, so that we can end once and for all the grossly unfair situation where 60 percent of our stocks are taken, gratis, by boats from other EU nations.

“That would mean the UK becoming a fully independent coastal state with its own seat at all the relevant international fisheries negotiations from December 2020 on and regaining its proud status as one of the world’s major fishing nations. Negotiations over trade terms for seafood products would follow on from this. Any linkage between access and trade contravenes all international norms and practice and is simply unacceptable in principle.

“Therefore we have asked the Prime Minister for assurances that the establishment of a new fisheries agreement as laid out in the Brexit arrangements does not imply that EU vessels will be guaranteed continued access to our waters in return for favourable trade terms.”

On Wednesday the cabinet were locked in discussions for around five hours before the Prime Minister emerged and stood on the steps of 10 Downing Street to announce she had the backing of her team on the future relationship.

Mrs May said: “The Cabinet has just had a long, detailed, and impassioned debate on the draft withdrawal agreement and the outlined political declaration on our future relationship with the European Union.

“These documents were the result of thousands of hours of hard negotiations by UK officials and many, many meetings which I and ministers held with our EU counterparts.

“I firmly believe that the draft withdrawal agreement was the best that could be negotiated. And it was for the Cabinet to decide whether to move on in the talks. The choices before us were difficult, particularly in relation to the Northern Ireland backstop.”

Mrs May continued: “But the collective decision of Cabinet was that the Government should agree on the draft withdrawal agreement and the outline political declaration.

“This is a decisive step which enables us to move on and finalise the deal in the days ahead. These decisions were not taken lightly but I believe it is a decision in the national interest. When you strip away the detail, the choice before us is clear.

“This deal, which delivers on the result of the referendum, which brings back control of our money, laws and borders, end free movement, protects jobs, security and our union – or leave with no deal. Or no Brexit at all.”